Blessings of Luck, Protection of Death: Drabbles
by Glowing Glasses
Summary: Yay! Here's more drabbles, everyone! I hope that you enjoy them as much as you did my last set! Just like before, the pairing is ShinKai, and each chapter is bite sized for your busy days! XD
1. Dinner Preparations

There was a _dead mouse_ in the flower vase!

"_**GAHHH**_ – oh. Wait." Kaito squinted his eyes, peering closely at the clear glass of the vase. "It's just a flower petal. I think."

Shinichi, who nearly dropped his stack of dinner plates at his startled scream, glowered at him.

"Now that you've given me my heart attack for the day," He snarked at him. "Will you help me set up the table?"

Kaito perked up, grinning innocently.

"Of course~! _Anything_ for my Tantei-kun! The love of my life! The Princess Peach to my Mario – "

Shinichi smacked him.

"Owww!"

"Quit fooling around!" Shinichi rolled his eyes, pointedly shoving the plates into Kaito's arms. He paused, narrowing his eyes. "...and if anyone is 'Princess Peach' here, it's _you_."

Kaito preened, shamelessly.

"Yes, I am!" He chirped, in a squeaky, cutesy, girl's voice, before sashaying away.

Shinichi stared, momentarily distracted by the view, before shaking his head and grabbing the cups.


	2. Appreciation

Fluttering butterflies flew around everywhere, almost glowing a mystical white in the darkness.

Conan stared, vaguely aware that his jaw was dropped in his shock.

It was just so..._beautiful_.

A warm laugh – soft and friendly – came from behind him, and he slowly turned around with wide eyes, startled.

It was Kaitou Kid, looking unreal and ethereal in the moonlight, surrounded by the butterflies. Kid smiled kindly at him, laughing when a butterfly rested on Conan's cheek.

Conan smiled, gently shooing the butterfly away.

"What's the occasion, Kid?" He asked, his blue eyes cautiously curious.

"It's Tantei Appreciation Week!" Kid joyfully grinned, throwing his arms up in the air with a laugh. He must have carefully timed that, because more of the ghostly butterflies appeared, in pinks and yellows, mingling with the white ones. "I'm showing how much I love my favorite critics this week, and you're at the top of my list, because you're my _best_ critic!"


	3. Life

"Where have you been all my life?" Shinichi chuckled, fondly caressing the homemade and thoughtfully made detective's bag, which had everything in it that a detective needed, from disposable gloves, to zip lock bags, to a first aid kit; it had _everything_.

Even a new, shiny notebook and an erasable pen, to replace his worn (and almost used up) notebook, and to retire his (slightly) battered ink pen.

It was the perfect present; unexpected _and_ useful.

Kaito grinned, delighted that he loved the medium sized, water _**and**_ fire proof bag.

Yes, Kaito thought of everything.

But..._where has he been all of Shinichi's life?_

"Looking for you," Kaito promptly answered, grinning at Shinichi's startled blush.


	4. Tweak

"Come on, Shin-chan!" Kaito urged with a laugh, dragging his exasperated lover.

"Alright, alright! Don't make me drop my books!" He warned, tightly holding his book about survival; which had so many _fascinating_ things in it, from making clever shelters, to identifying poisonous plants.

Kaito had gotten some books too, but Shinichi wasn't sure where he squirreled them away at, since he wasn't carrying them.

_Magicians..._

Up ahead, in a secluded corner of a lovely café, a scorned lover was preparing to murder her cheating boyfriend –

Lady Luck smacked Death.

"_Be nice!_" The Lady scolded him. "_This is the first time that our boys have had any free time together in almost two months!_"

"**You're exaggerating; a month and a week is hardly, 'two months'.**" He replied, blandly. "**Besides...you know that I can't do anything for him – he isn't directly tied to me, unlike my Champion.**"

The Lady sighed at this, staring at the murderous mortal.

Luck was a Chaotic force, unlike Death, which was a force of Order. In light of that, she was (usually) allowed to tweak things.

So she did.

_Trip_. She commanded, changing Destiny.

The woman – who had taken a step forwards to her boyfriend with a sweet smile, hiding her knife – tripped, stumbling into the surprised arms of her boyfriend, and dropping her knife.

"Whoa, are you okay?" He asked, giving the dropped knife a confused look, but he didn't ask about it. His girlfriend was very fond of sharp, pointy objects.

She gritted her teeth. "Fine." She snapped, pulling away from him.

Blinking, her boyfriend stared at her in bemusement. "Hm...I guess this would be the wrong time to ask you to marry me then, huh?" He observed, and she turned around to openly gawp at him.

"What?"

He blushed, grinning sheepishly. "Oops. I still don't have a ring – which is a bummer, because yesterday my cousin tried to help me...um, dear? Are you okay? You look really pale..."

As the man tried to comfort his suddenly shaken and horrified lover, Kaito and Shinichi obliviously entered the café.

"So, what do you want?" Shinichi asked Kaito, tucking his book under his arm, before pulling out his wallet. This was his treat, as an apology for being so busy with his cases lately.

_Kaito is too good for me_, Shinichi wearily thought. The magician hadn't complained at all, or said a single peep about feeling neglected, persistently supporting Shinichi through each case, singing him to sleep and making sure that he had plenty to eat, and lots of rest.

"Ooo! Ooo! I want a hot chocolate with a, hmm..." Kaito peered up at the dessert selections, torn between a chocolate cake and a strawberry tiramisu.

Shinichi grinned at his conflicted expression, his blue eyes flickering around the café. He stared briefly at the sight of a man comforting a pale and guilt-stricken looking woman, before politely looking away.

It wasn't any of his business, after all.

Unseen, Lady Luck smiled with smug contentment, and Death quietly linked arms with her, standing close to her.

Death used to be annoyed when Luck would interfere with his reaping of souls, but now...

He loved it when the Lady tweaked things.

* * *

**Glasses**: Yay! A drabble with Lady Luck and Death! I've been wanting write one for a while now. XD

Oh, yes – see? Drabbles. Yay!

I didn't forget.


	5. IQ

With a low, irritated growl, Conan pushed against Kid's knees, screwing up the thief's balance and making him fall backwards onto the wood floor.

"Oof!" Kid's hat fell off, and his breath was knocked out of him. He was dazed – his _**spine**_, ow, ow, _**ow**_ – so he didn't react when Conan clambered up on top of him.

He _**did**_ wheeze squeakily when the pseudo-child settled on his chest, though, mostly in surprise, and he blinked up at the glaring detective.

Conan opened his mouth, about to reprimand Kid for his antics –

But Kid beat him to the punch.

"Oh my!" Kid coquettishly batted his eyelashes, looking coy. "Why are you so..._rough_, meitantei-san~?" He questioned, with loaded innuendo in his 'breathless' voice, seemingly flustered.

Conan gaped at him.

_...I think I broke him_, Kid mused, staring curiously at the silently blushing, wide-eyed detective. _Whoops._

_Quick Mental Note: Obvious Flirtations Reduce Tantei-kun's IQ Points. Be Wary Of Use._


	6. Divorce

"Do you want some marshmallows?" Kaito asked, happily making some hot coco.

"No," Shinichi shook his head. "I don't like marshmallows."

Kaito froze. Slowly, he turned around to look at his husband with a horrified expression.

"Don't...don't like marshmallows?" He stammered in dismay. No, he _actually_ stammered. Not playfully acting – for _real_.

Shinichi gave him a mildly bemused look. "No, I don't."

Kaito _stared_ at him.

He looked almost heartbroken.

"...I demand a divorce!" Kaito flailed dramatically, looking indignant.

"**What?**"

"You don't like marshmallows!" Kaito whined. "What's _wrong_ with you?"

"Kaito. Don't be ridiculous, you _know_ that I don't like sweets overly much."

"B-b-but! Marshmallows!"

Shinichi sighed.

"Okay," The detective raised a hand, quietly requesting silence from Kaito. "Think of it this way; since I don't like marshmallows, you get to have _more_, because you don't have to share."

Kaito blinked, thinking this over with a serious expression. Then he brightened up and blew a kiss to Shinichi.

"_Mwah!_ I knew there was a reason why I married you! You're so smart and intelligent~!"


	7. Crawl

Shinichi frowned intently at his computer screen, his eyes flickering quietly as he read the latest news report. Absently, he reached out with his left hand to grab his warm cup of coffee, and he looked in that direction instinctively – only to stop short with a startled gasp.

"Oh, fuck," He said mildly, taken aback, but he calmed his equally startled heart.

Shinichi peered curiously at his coffee cup, watching as the tarantula crawled around the lip of it with its black legs.

"...how did a tarantula get into my house?"

The detective thought for a moment, before letting out an exasperated groan.

"Kaito!" Shinichi complained, huffing slightly. He gently retrieved the wayward spider, concerned that it would fall into his coffee. "Geez, I better call him and ask if he's _missing_ anything..."

He glowered.

Normal boyfriends forget their keys or a random shirt when they sleep over.

Not Kaito.

* * *

_**Glasses**:_ _Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I've decided to start my drabbles early as a present to you all. Everything else is still going to be December-y, unless I move ahead of schedule._


	8. Encounter

He wanted to catch Kid.

That cocky, illusive thief kept slipping through his fingers, over and over again, and it was frustrating as hell. He wasn't interested in throwing the guy behind bars, _oh, no_ – he wanted to catch him and get the unspoken reward of seeing and knowing Kid's identity, to tear off the kaitou persona and _**see**_ the person behind the layers of masks. He considered Kid his friend, someone that he honestly trusted and cared about, and he wanted to gain the right of knowing the _real_ him by winning the game.

Shinichi was embarrassed to admit it, but it's grown into an obsession.

He was actually contemplating the situation (read: _scheming new ways of tripping up Kaitou Kid_), as he walked in the rain with his black umbrella to shield him. As he walked down the semi-deserted street, someone suddenly ran into him, knocking against his shoulder.

"Whoa!" The person yelped, missing a step from the collision, and _almost_ slipping on the slick concrete, but he narrowly caught his balance.

Shinichi merely grunted mildly, hardly effected.

He look at the teenager that just stumbled into him, and paused. The other boy was panting, looking somewhat frazzled and soaking wet; he didn't have an umbrella, or even a raincoat. His hair was dark from the water, and it clung wetly to his face, and his wide indigo eyes stared at Shinichi with startled surprise.

When Shinichi met his gaze, however, the other teen seemed to freeze up with an 'oh shit' emotion flickering by – almost too fast for the detective to grasp – before it was smoothed away with an irritated scowl.

"Oi, watch where you're going!" He complained, glancing down at his watch. He grimaced, "Oh, _goddammit_..."

Swearing under his breath about missed buses, the boy scurried away before Shinichi could even say a word to him.

"Ah..." Shinichi frowned, furring his brows as he watched the (rather rude) stranger run down the street, feeling bemused. "...okay?"

The detective shrugged, and continued on his way.

_He looked familiar, though_, Shinichi mused, looking thoughtful.

Meanwhile, Kuroba Kaito was inwardly having a heart attack from the close encounter that he had just then. _Ohhh, my god, of __**all**__ the people to run into on my way home...!_


	9. Scribble

Luck had this beautiful habit of randomly scribbling all over the place to decide one's outcome on...pretty much everything. Depending on how much she liked a person, or how their karma looked in the Fate Books, their picture will either be something incredible or really lousy.

Or just really weird as hell, because she just scribbled all over the place at random.

Death really doesn't understand this system, but he leaves her alone about it. The Lady loved her bizarre works of art for the mortals that she watched over, and strangely enough, every one of her scribbles connected and intertwined, forming a complex and bigger picture.

Death wasn't much of an artistic person, but...if he tilted his head to the side and squinted, he was certain that – _somehow_ – Luck created an accurate blueprint about the secrets of the universe, and the story about how everything was created with Chaos and Order, Chance and Planning, joined together in balance and harmony.

With scribbles.

It made him smile quietly, because it reminded him about their relationship. And, well...

"**Those are some beautiful scribbles, my dear."** He complimented his Lady.

"_Thank you!"_ She beamed, tip toeing to kiss him on the nose.

She was a talented artist, even though not every critic (mortal) appreciated her random drawings.

* * *

_Kaitou Kid laughed heartily, monocle gleaming in the moonlight. "Ah, but remember? I'm an artist, and you're just a critic, meitantei."_

_Conan scowled._

_Someday, he'll learn to respect the magician thief's so-called 'art'. At the moment, he just wanted to dart the irritating bastard._

_Unseen and unheard, Death ruefully laughed at his Champion._


	10. Maybe

Kaito pouted, sulking alone in his room. He wasn't sure _why_, but he was absolutely certain that his Tantei-kun was ignoring him.

Conan wasn't going to his heists.

He wasn't responding to his taunting emails.

He wasn't answering his texts.

He wasn't even picking up the phone when he called.

_Edogawa Conan was ignoring Kaitou Kid._

That bastard.

"Kaito? Honey?" His mother called out from somewhere downstairs. "Are you done sulking?"

"No!" He yelled, petulant.

"Too bad, I need help unloading the groceries. _Get down here!"_

Kaito made a face, but he reluctantly dragged himself out of his bedroom. If he didn't, his mother would find a way to make him regret it.

* * *

Conan stared blankly at the air, not really looking at anything. He was quiet, curled up on his old bed, inside his _real_ home – when he used to be Shinichi, at least. Haibara's hit another dead end with the cure and he was just so tried of hoping that _something_ will go right for once.

He really was, and he just wanted to give up – give on Kudo Shinichi. Even Ran was giving up on him, he could see it in her eyes. He should just bury him (_Kudo_) and move on (_Edogawa_).

Shinichi was dead, anyway.

_That bleak plan might have worked..._

Suddenly, his window was swung open, and a figure in white determinedly jumped into his room.

_If there wasn't someone in his life that would protest that decision._

"Alright, Tantei-kun, I _demand_ – " Kid paused, staring at his sullen form on the bed with a puzzled frown. Conan merely gave him a disinterested stare in return.

A brief, but lingering, silence filled the room.

Then Kid quietly closed the window, and lightly stepped over to the bed, sitting down next to Conan. A hesitant, gloved hand reached out to touch Conan's head, before uncertainly withdrawing, not sure if the detective wanted to be touched right now.

Probably not.

"...do you want to talk about it?" Kid softly inquired, his earlier indignation forgotten in his concern. Tantei-kun wasn't normally this..._shattered_, like something inside him was breaking.

It was unsettling.

"Not really, Kid." Conan replied, monotone. Kid winced at the emptiness in his voice.

"Oh..."

There was another period of silence, before Kid let out a quiet breath, decisively reaching out and grabbing the shrunken detective. Conan finally snapped out of his gloom, squawking in protest at being manhandled, but Kid pointedly ignored him, placing the detective in his lap and snuggling him.

"What are you doing? Baro!"

"You need a hug." Kid calmly said, unaffected by Conan's struggling.

"No, I don't!" Conan denied, scowling.

"Yes, you do."

"Don't!"

"Do~!" Kid sing-songed, infuriatingly cheerful.

Conan growled, but he stopped squirming, glowering darkly all the while. He knew that he wasn't going to win – Kid was too damn stubborn once he got an idea into his head.

Kid hummed happily at this, before maneuvering himself so that he could fall backwards onto the bed without hitting the wall.

Conan scowled when Kid hugged him even more closely, but didn't otherwise move, silently fuming.

They stayed like that for a long time, and slowly, _very_ slowly, Conan relaxed into Kid's hold. It was comfortable, and strangely..._safe_. The detective couldn't really explain why such a feeling was there, but it was peaceful.

Later, when Kid moved over to the window to leave, Conan stopped him.

"Hey...uh, thanks." He mumbled, flushing with embarrassment. "I...yeah." He said, lamely, which made Kid laugh – with genuine amusement, nothing that was mocking.

"Mm, it's no trouble, Tantei-kun. You just needed a hug!" Kid winked, opening the detective's window for his exit. He paused, thinking briefly, before smiling at Conan with a knowing look, letting his intuition guide him. "When you're Kudo again, you can return the favor. It's a promise, ne?"

He grinned at Conan's startled look, before leaving.

"I look forward to it, so don't disappoint me~!"

Conan stared blankly at this, not really watching as he vanished into the night. He frowned, stepping closer to his window sill. Conan was still for a long moment, staring up at the stars. They glimmered encouragingly at him from the sky, tiny bright lights in the darkness. Then his gaze moved to the crescent moon, which was still glowing steadily in the sky. It wasn't a full moon, which made it less special to some, but if he tilted his head slightly, it almost looked like a big grin – like Kid's smile.

Slowly, he smiled back at the moon.

"A promise, huh...?" Conan shook his head, turning away with a thoughtful chuckle. "Maybe."


	11. Something Old

Humming under his breath, Kaito looked around at his old bedroom.

It was rather surreal to be back in this room; although he's visited his mother a lot, he's rarely been inside this room. This is the room that he used to take naps in as a toddler, a place that he used play in as a child, a place that he used to do homework in as a teenager.

A place he retreated into whenever he was stressed and worried, a beloved sanctuary and safe place whenever he wanted to be alone.

With a small sigh, Kaito smiled and stepped over to his old bed – _the bed where he formed his dreams, where he would hide under his covers when he felt world-weary and scared, where he would have pillow fights with Aoko_ – and he crouched down, and reached under it. His questing fingers eventually grasped a familiar box, and he retrieved it. He then stood up, and lazily threw himself onto his old bed, so much smaller than the bed he shared with his fiancé.

He rolled over onto his stomach, and shifted around comfortably, propping himself up with his left elbow, his hand pressing against his cheek in a relaxed manner. With his other hand, he deposited the cardboard box in front of him. He smiled again, amused with the fact that he was on the foot side of the bed, but he shook it off, opening the slightly battered and old box. It was painted yellow, with little dabs of white polka dots decorating it.

It was a small box with several precious memories inside it.

Kaito picked though the various items, searching through pictures, small nicknacks, and slips of paper. After a moment, he found it – a small Tuxedo Mask key chain.

With a grin, he sat up and plucked it from the box, indigo eyes bright.

The perfect piece for an old tradition.

_Something Old..._

"_To remember the old times, ties with family and friends."_


	12. Spork

Keiko has always been a little forgettable. She doesn't stand out like the infamous Mop&Dodge Duo (Aoko and Kaito), the English Gentleman (Saguru), or the Temptress of Hearts (Akako). She was pretty normal. A little geeky, nice, and a Kaitou Kid fangirl – like most teenage girls.

Aoko wasn't a normal teenage girl, since she was adamantly _against_ Kid. At times, Keiko really does wonder what the heck is wrong with her best friend. You have to be crazy to not like Kid, even if it's just a _little_ bit. Seriously. He's so awesome and handsome, and...

Ahem.

Nevertheless, Keiko doesn't mind being a little forgettable.

She liked lurking in the background while the stars of the show strutted their stuff. Sometimes, she liked to pretend that she was a ninja, but _shh_, that's a secret. Still, she honestly doesn't care if people tended to remember her more colorful classmates, instead of her rather _normal_ self. She was a bit shy, anyway, so it was a win-win situation.

The really great thing about being normal (and a ninja in disguise!), however, was that she had an excellent view of the events around her.

Like the interesting topic of Kaito-kun and his boyfriend.

Keiko had been surprised to hear that, apparently, Kaito was gay (or bi?), but she didn't mind. She only thought that it was adorable that he had a boyfriend, and Keiko was quite enchanted by the idea (read: XXX-rated daydreams). She was very happy for her friend, even though they weren't close friends. She was more of Aoko's friend than his, since he was too loud for her, and she was too...normal, she guessed. They just didn't click very well.

She's always admired his confidence, though, and he's always thought that she had the cutest pigtails.

After it was revealed that Kuroba Kaito was dating a male, rumors spread like wildfire throughout the school. While most of the school's population didn't care, there some homophobic males. Tall, burly, _manly men_ that could squash Kaito into sparkly magician paste.

No one knows this, but when Keiko (gossip bloodhound extraordinaire) heard about some...rather _interesting_ muttered threats, the forever unnoticed girl immediately stomped out that potential trouble with...innocent little letters.

Innocent little letters, with some _fascinating_ photographs of some..._questionable_ activities that could get them kicked out of school, and a sweetly worded note that kindly asked them to keep their hateful thoughts to themselves, please-and-thank-you-or-suffer-via-social-suicide.

Overkill? Maybe.

You shouldn't mess with a ninja girl's friends, however. They had _connections_.

No one knows about the homophobic boys, or about how Keiko slapped them in the face with damning blackmail material. She didn't like being in the spotlight, and she was content with the knowledge that she _did_ do something to stand up and protect one of her friends. She didn't need thanks or appreciation.

Plus, she likes the thought of being that unexpected punch in the face, because no one notices the "normal, average, and ordinary" girl. She was like the secret weapon that no one knew about, and she thought it was rather cool.

About two weeks after she eliminated the threat before it could escalate into something dangerous, she was ecstatic to have a chance to observe her friend and his new boyfriend.

Kudo-kun looked like a weird twin of Kaito-kun. Like a tame Kuroba, which was an oxymoron.

Shinichi was calm while Kaito was extreme, and his sweet and serious side blended perfectly with Kaito's romantic and silly side. They were so adorable together, a wonderful balance, and since they looked so alike, it wasn't hard for Keiko to think of them as yin and yang personified.

_No...they're like a spork_, Keiko thought, peering at the couple over a clothing rack. The mall was the perfect place for people watching. _Kudo-kun is the spoon. Round, logical, and self-contained with his emotions and thoughts. Probably a cereal person. Kaito-kun is the fork. Lean, straight to the point, and enigmatically unreadable (forks were hard to pin down). Could be a fan of ramen noodles._

Keiko ducked down with a smile when Kudo-kun twitched and looked over in her direction. _Haha, didn't see me~!_ She gloated privately, grinning as she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

Still...

_Together, a spoon and a fork become something really awesome._

Like a spork.

A few years down the road, Keiko was honored to be invited to their wedding – to witness a spoon and a fork _officially_ become a spork in the eyes of society.

* * *

_**Glasses**: Like my mostly noncanon!Aoko, here's a mostly noncanon!Keiko for you to meet. Good, bad, what?_


	13. Rome

"Feel better?" Shinichi grinned softly as he entered the bathroom. Kaito was rubbing off the last bits of his disguise with a warm, wet washcloth at the sink.

"Yeah..." Kaito sighed, quietly dipping the red washcloth into the sink, making the water splash a bit. Shinichi frowned, staring at him closely. Kaito looked unusually morose, with a pinched, troubled expression on his face. The indigo color of his eyes were darker, with a weighty sadness in them.

Kaito sighed again, wiping the washcloth under his jaw in an absentminded way, his gaze distant.

Shinichi cocked his head to the side, concerned. He moved to stand behind Kaito, wrapping his arms around the thief and pulling him into a comforting hug. Kaito stilled, flickering his eyes up to meet Shinichi's worried eyes in the mirror.

"What's wrong?" Kaito questioned, lowering the washcloth with a frown.

Shinichi huffed.

"I should be asking _you_ that. What's on your mind?" The detective rested his chin on Kaito's shoulder, looking steadily into the mirror as Kaito blinked at him.

Kaito smiled wanly, looking down as he put the washcloth into the sink, watching it float somewhat because of the air packets under it.

The magician pressed it down, making it sink into the warm water.

"Nothing," Kaito answered, idly moving his hand in the water. He quirked an easy grin at Shinichi's disbelieving reflection. "Really, it's nothing. Don't worry."

Shinichi frowned again, and he stared quietly at him in the mirror.

Patiently.

"It's just..." Kaito said, sighing. Damn it, Shinichi was a champion at wheedling out answers with just a look... "It's just that I'm tired. Of looking for Pandora. What if it really _doesn't_ exist? Shinichi, I've been looking for years now, and I'm still not anywhere close to my goal."

Blue eyes peered at him thoughtfully.

"...are you giving up?" Shinichi asked, delicately.

"No!" Kaito denied, but he promptly deflated in Shinichi's arms. He sighed as the detective held him securely. "I just...I'm tired. That's all." Kaito muttered quietly.

Shinichi hummed, nuzzling him. He narrowed his eyes, his mind flashing back to countless instances where his magician bullied him into having vacations. Picnics, hunting for seashells at beaches, going to butterfly conservatories, paint ball art...

_Whenever I get near a breaking point, Kaito always snatches me and takes me away from the world..._

The detective gave the world-weary magician a speculative look in the mirror.

"Do you want to go to Rome?"

Kaito stirred in his arms, confused. "Um. I...what?" Indigo eyes stared at him with surprise. "Why?"

_Because it's my turn to take care of you._

"I've always wanted to see the Colosseum," He said instead, grinning a bit. Shinichi steered Kaito out of the bathroom. "Come on, let's pack."

"What? Shinichi, stop pushing me!"

"Then move faster!"

As they bickered, the forgotten washcloth quietly hovered within the water of the sink.


	14. Sulk

"Ladies and gentleman!"

"Kaito!" Shinichi hissed, frantically tugging at the magician's pants leg. Kaito blatantly ignored him, beaming happily at his unknowing (and rather confused) audience, standing boldly on their dinner table.

"Today is a great day! A wonderful, touching day of love and adoration!"

"Kai_**to!**_ Sit down!"

"It is the anniversary of the day – "

"I'm _warning_ you..."

" – that my beautiful detective confessed his _undying_ _love_ for me, and swept me off my...feet...? What – _urk!"_

Shinichi finally gave up, quickly standing up and pulling at the back of Kaito's shirt, briefly choking the thief with the collar of his own shirt. Shinichi yanked hard enough, and actually made Kaito fall and stumble off the table with an ungraceful thud.

"Owww!" Kaito whined, curling up, obviously exaggerating the pain that the minor fall caused him.

Shinichi, his loving, caring boyfriend, with his big heart and compassionate nature for the less fortunate, _for those in pain_ –

Totally and entirely ignored Kaito's seemingly 'prone' form on the floor.

"I'm sorry, everyone," He apologized. "He's...easily excitable, just, please don't mind him," Shinichi diplomatically said, smiling charmingly to the others in the restaurant, cautiously glancing at the older (and grumpy-looking) waiter that stared warily right back at him.

Kaito pouted, deciding to stay on the floor for a good, long sulk.

_He could show me some concern and affection here, damn it!_


	15. Brat

"Kid..." Conan growled, dripping wet as he climb out of the water. "Why – _WHY_ – did you just dump me in the pool?"

"You bit me!" Kid exclaimed, sounding scandalized and he removed his glove to check on his hand. He hissed, "There's blood!"

Conan scowled. "You grabbed me! From behind! What the hell was I supposed to think?"

"You _bit_ me!"

"And you _grabbed!"_

"Bit. Me."

"Grabbed. Me."

The two glared daggers at each other, scowling viciously.

You could feel the love in the air. It was the sparkly, happy-happy, joy-joy love, too. You could tell by the angry snarls, and the enraged flushes on their faces and –

Okay, they totally wanted to strangle each other.

Kid sniffed. "The point remains – I did not draw blood. _You_ did! It hurts!" Kid complained, showing the detective the bloodied wound. Conan flinched a bit. That did look like it hurt. "How did you even bite through my glove like that, anyway? You must have really sharp teeth, Tantei-kun!"

Conan wilted as the thief fussed over his hand.

"Um...sorry," He finally apologized, sounding contrite. He stuffed a hand into his pocket, retrieving one of the handkerchiefs that Ran insisted on shoving down his various pockets everyday. He stepped up to the thief, and stood on his tippy toes, gently catching the thief's wrist with his wet hand. "To be fair, I didn't know it was you."

Surprised, Kid hesitantly let him take it, watching him closely. "Um..."

"Relax, Kid-san. I'm not stealing a blood sample," Conan frowned at the wound that his tiny teeth managed to make, and he deftly wrapped it with the handkerchief, staining the white cloth red, but it was only a small spot – thankfully, the stain didn't spread, and he was glad for that.

That meant he didn't bite into one of the arteries in Kid's hand. He wasn't entirely sure _where_ those arteries were, and he made a mental note to check up on that.

Still, Kid wasn't about to bleed to death because a little kid bit him.

Smiling a bit grimly, Conan tied the handkerchief. "There, that should work. I hope it _**scars**_ – maybe next time you'll remember that I dislike being picked up!" Conan said smartly, half-joking, and Kid made a face at the drenched detective, cradling his hand with a mild pout.

"Tantei-kun, I never thought that I'd say this, but..."

"What?"

"You're a brat."


	16. Cheesy

"Ne, ne~! Shinichi!"

"What?"

"I want to be a super hero! Like from Marvel!"

Shinichi turned to give Kaito a baffled look. He simply smiled at the detective with an expectant look.

"Okay...?" Shinichi decided to humor him. "Who would you be? Superman? Iron Man?"

He could see Kaito being Iron Man, actually. Less bitter, but just as wild and inappropriate.

"Nope! I'd be **Your**man!"

Kaito looked so proud of himself. He pouted when Shinichi bent over, laughing hysterically at him. Not blushing, or looking even vaguely flattered.

He was laughing. At Kaito.

Well, then!

"Hey! I thought it was good..." Kaito huffed, puffing his cheeks out indignantly. Shinichi snickered, breathless, and he tried to say something. He gave up, and just grabbed Kaito in a hug, almost helpless in his undignified giggles.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, hahaha!" Shinichi laughed, holding Kaito in place when the rather insulted thief tried to wiggle away from him. "That was sweet. Really. I love you, come on, calm down. Hahaha..."


	17. Napkin

"No," Shinichi refused.

"Oh, come on! Just a _little_ bite~? It's really good!" Kaito tempted, leaning across the restaurant table to point the spoonful of strawberry cheesecake at the detective's scowling mouth. Shinichi let out an irritated growl, and he pulled his head back.

"I said, 'no', Kaito! I don't want it."

Kaito let out a sad mewl, his eyes wide and tearful. "Please?"

Shinichi gave him a flinty glare.

"No."

The magician huffed, collapsing back into his seat with a pout.

"You're so stubborn!" Kaito complained.

Shinichi sighed, stabbing into his steak.

"Just eat your cheesecake and leave me alone," He said, mulishly, a bit peeved at him.

"Humph!" Kaito stuffed the spoonful of cheesecake into his mouth, with a childish glare. Muttering loudly under his breath, "You never complain about sweet things when you have your tongue down my throat..."

Shinichi coughed, blushing.

"Not so loud!" He hissed, seeing the scandalized look coming from an elderly woman in the booth next to them. He gave her a sheepish grin, wilting under her judging stare. Kaito glanced at her, and then he smiled charmingly with a beautiful sparkle in his eyes.

The old woman instantly melted on the spot, with an audible 'awww!', forgetting about her disgust.

Shinichi glowered, throwing a napkin at the smug looking magician's face.


	18. Hands Off

Kaito loved going to clubs and bars with his friends. It was _fun_, and he's been dragging his circle of friends and lover to the places ever since they all got legal. No matter how much they bitched (Hakuba) or complained (Shinichi) or face palmed (Heiji) whenever he ruined their peaceful and relaxing plans for the weekend.

There was a downside, however.

"Hey, sexy," A very masculine and raspy voice rumbled in his ear, and Kaito stiffened as someone placed their hands on his shoulders, turning him around. The stranger was an attractive man, roguish and practically radiating sex appeal. He had tousled black hair and mossy green eyes that went well with his crooked grin – and those eyes were shamelessly scanning Kaito's lithe form. "Are you free? I could help you out of that tight leather you're wearing and..." His hands dipped low, dropping from Kaito's shoulders to his ass.

Kaito flinched, and the man leered at him.

"I can show you a good time," The stranger promised, grinning attractively.

Kaito smiled uncomfortably at the man. "Um...no, thanks," He pushed against the broad chest, pushing the stranger away. Kaito silently cursed himself for wearing his leather pants tonight. While Shinichi's reactions were always amusing and fun, this...wasn't fun.

Alas, the darkly attractive stranger wouldn't let him go. Kaito almost squeaked when those unfamiliar hands squeezed tantalizingly, pulling him flush against the tall man and trapping Kaito's hands in between their chests.

_Aw, fuck._

"Hey, hey, not so fast," The stranger murmured, with an easy smirk. He leaned into Kaito's face, and with a shudder of unease, Kaito quickly turned his head away. His eyes frantically searched the crowd for one of his friends. "C'mon, babe. I won't hurt you – I can be a _very_ gentle lover," The stranger whispered hotly into his ear, right when indigo eyes found a pair of glaring blue. "I could draw it out for hours and hours..."

Kaito almost cheered when Shinichi quickly pushed his way to him and his unwanted 'admirer'. Still, he tried to twist and squirm away – and failed.

_Geez! Who is this guy? _Kaito fumed. He was the motherfucking _Kaitou Kid!_ Why couldn't he just get the heck away from the guy? Gah!

Kaito huffed. "Good for you," He muttered resentfully, straining to put some distance between their bodies. He was distressed when he realized that he was writhing against the bigger male as a result – in an intimate manner that was _very much unwelcome_. Embarrassed, Kaito stopped struggling and went limp, staring at Shinichi with pleading eyes. He wasn't too far away now, and was only a few short strides away.

"You might want to let me go," Kaito said mildly, hiding a relieved grin.

"Why – ? _Whoa! _Who are you? What are you doing?" Shinichi neatly stepped in, dispassionately reaching out to the man's left elbow. With a calculating look in his eyes, he pinched the radial nerve on the top of the forearm. The arm promptly became paralyzed, causing the man to yelp. Taking advantage of the opening, Kaito swiftly escaped from his 'admirer' and hid behind Shinichi, hugging the detective's arm.

"Hi, this is my fiancé. He could murder you in a thousand – million? – different ways and get away with it. Please go away, remember that 'no' means NO, and have a wonderful night, ta!" Kaito chirped brightly, hurriedly tugging Shinichi away.

Shinichi didn't look away from the tall man, glaring coldly at him until he was forced to break eye contact.

Flirting was okay with Shinichi. People can harmlessly flirt with Kaito all they want, because it was just an innocent game of teasing and wits. But outright _molestation_, on the other hand?

Hands off, or die.

...or just enjoy having a paralyzed arm for the night.


	19. Meaning

_Why does Kaitou Kid steal?_

That's the question that kept nagging at Conan as he got to know Kid as a person. Once the polite and vaguely condescending mask lowered a bit, showing more and more of the manic personality that was behind it, Conan has discovered why Kid wasn't a _normal_ criminal – he didn't steal for a thrill, like most would assume.

No, not for a thrill.

Kid didn't necessarily like to steal. He liked baffling law enforcement and annoying his detectives, and he liked showing off and wowing his crowd of fans. But he was only mildly entertained with stealing, and wasn't ever interested in the things he stole, especially after he checked them out in the moonlight. He's even admitted to Conan that he didn't care about the shiny, and often gaudy looking, jewels he stole, but he had 'no choice' but to steal.

He was stealing for a _reason_.

Sometimes, Kid looked melancholy and withdrawn. Sometimes, he looked anxious. For the briefest flash of a second, he even looked scared and uncertain.

It nagged at Conan.

The detective wanted to know. Not just to satisfy his curiosity, but to offer his _help_.

But Kid always rebuffed him with a grin and a taunt; _"You can figure it out yourself, Tantei-kun!"_

Suddenly, he understood why that phrase truly frustrated Hakuba Saguru.

Because wanted to know the meaning behind Kid, but it's impossible to grasp at fleeing smoke, at the flicker of a white cape.

* * *

_**Glasses**: Sorry for the delay! Got caught up in another project, and loss track of time~! (**Headdesk**)_

_At this rate, I really won't meet my deadline(s)! D:_


	20. Awkward Moment

It's finally happened. The one thing that Shinichi's been dreading – _ever so faintly, a distant discomfort and wariness in the back of his mind_ – has finally happened.

Mouri Kogoro finally cornered him for a talk. While _this_ talk wouldn't be nearly as awkward (and rather frightening, to be honest) as the 'talk' that they had after he broke it off with Ran, _completely _and _entirely_, with no confusion whatsoever, it was still going to be rather...well, awkward.

Weird.

Flat out _uncomfortable_.

Which was ridiculous, because Mouri Kogoro was just an ordinary man, and Shinichi was far more intelligent than him.

_And yet..._

Kogoro gave him a dark, leery glare. Suddenly, the usually unassuming, brash, over-confident and foolish man seemed to be as ferocious as a grumbling bear, staring him down from across the table, as if debating if he should rip off Shinichi's face or leave him alone – with life and limb intact.

_And yet, somehow, Kogoro still manages to be intimidating as all hell._

_**How does he do it?**_

"So..." Kogoro looked somewhat discomforted. "You're gay?"

Shinichi coughed. "Not quite – erm...I believe that the correct term is 'bisexual', ojisan."

Kogoro grunted, still eying him oddly.

"...so, you _didn't_ dump my daughter because you were gay? Because that would make _so much more sense_ than that 'my feelings have changed' bullshit."

Shinichi almost (almost) groaned at that. Not this again!

"No, I did not," He said curtly, giving the older male a wary stare. With that intense glare, he could really see a piece of Ran, because she also had that same air of barely restrained tension when something was bothering her, but she was trying very hard to _not_ crack someone's spine over her knee. Shinichi sighed at Kogoro's unimpressed look. "We've had this discussion before."

"Yeah, but I still think there's something wrong with you if you don't want my daughter – I'm not _blind_. I know that my girl is a beautiful young lady," Fatherly pride and love softened Kogoro's voice, before it hardened again. He glared at Shinichi. "I still hate your guts, by the way, for breaking her heart. _She_ might forgive you, but I hold a grudge."

"I've noticed," Shinichi replied, dryly. He raised his hands up submissively when Kogoro growled at him. "Oi, oi, I don't blame you. I know that you love Ran very much – "

"Damn straight, cocky brat."

" – so I really don't blame you," Shinichi finished, repressing an eye roll for the rude interjection.

Kogoro grumbled something under his breath – it sounded suspiciously uncomplimentary – but he seemed somewhat pacified.

For the moment.

Shinichi and Kogoro stared at each other awkwardly then, with equal wariness in their gazes.

Kogoro huffed, looking away from him. The man frowned, tapping nervously at the table with his fingers, obviously debating with himself over something. Shinichi merely watched him for a while, hesitant to speak, but his curiosity won out against his caution, as it always does.

"What is it?" Shinichi quirked a brow at him.

Kogoro gave him an unfriendly glare, but he sighed, stilling his fingers.

"Look, kid. I don't like you. I never did, really. But..." Kogoro frowned pensively, struggling with his words. "Does this Kuroba kid make you...happy?"

Shinichi stared at him, briefly startled by the question – _a show of concern, a flash of that parental care he usually reserves only for Ran and (when no one was looking) for Conan_. Then he smiled at Kogoro, genuinely and with unmistakable fondness.

"Yes," Shinichi nodded, smiling brightly. "I am."

He wasn't aware of it, but a happy flush dusted his face and his eyes lit up when he spoke about 'that Kuroba kid'.

Kogoro noticed it, of course.

_He notices a lot of things, believe it or not_.

Kogoro smirked, standing up from his seat and walking away from the table.

"Good. I don't care about your sexual orientation, but I'd be displeased if 'widdle Conan-kun' ended up in an unhappy relationship with some punk kid," Kogoro announced with a wicked nonchalance, _knowing_ that he just dropped a bomb on Kudo, and not caring in the least.

Shinichi gawped.

"What? What? _What?_ HEY!" Shinichi jumped out his chair, running after Kogoro, who was chortling gleefully now.

He's _finally_ found a way to make that damn brat utterly gobsmacked.

Kogoro unconsciously rubbed at his neck with a scowl.

_The brat deserves it. Goddamn darts, I almost strangled the kid when I realized what the hell he was doing. If I wasn't getting money and learning (bah!) from **his** deductions on TV, I would've **punched** him for drugging me, chibi or not. Fucking brat..._


	21. Forgotten

Shinichi walked into the room and Kaito smiled sweetly at him.

Too sweetly.

_Oh, shit_.

He almost backed away, but he stood his ground. He gave his lover a wary look. "What?"

Kaito hummed mildly, leaning his front comfortably against the back of the couch, his elbows resting on the top of it, his hands cupping his jawline. He appeared perfectly calm and vaguely amused, 'good-humored', but it didn't distract from the irked look in his eyes, despite how pleasantly he smiled.

Shinichi inwardly cringed. _Uh oh..._

He scrambled to recall if he had done anything that could've pissed Kaito off, but he was coming up with a blank. _Shit, shit, shit..._

"You forgot something today," Kaito kindly informed him, and, _argh_, Shinichi was now officially convinced that Ran's been giving his only true love lessons on being scarily passive aggressive. Because really, it's the only solution for Kaito knowing _exactly_ how to make him nervous and scared for his life without any yelling or threats.

But...he forgot something? What?

"What did I forget?" Shinichi hesitantly stepped further into the room, instinctively ready to duck and cover in case something is thrown at him, even though he knew that it wouldn't happen. Kaito wasn't like Ran, all passive until she explodes in either fury or hurt. He was passive and then visibly irritated or distant. Kaito did not throw things or scream at him – he just ignored him in silence, if he was sincerely upset, which cut at Shinichi, _deeply_.

The cold shoulder was much worse than any thrown object.

Kaito stared at him, still smiling. Then the emotions in his eyes flattened, the annoyance twisting into sharp disappointment. _Ouch_.

"What?" Shinichi worriedly fidgeted. Clueless.

The magician sighed at this, bowing his head down briefly. He smiled wanly, and then he pushed away from the couch. He walked around the couch, neatly bounding across the room, striding pass a suddenly frozen Shinichi. Kaito didn't quite meet his eyes, and only gave him a vague smile (so fake it hurt) when he passed him to leave the room.

"Figure it out, meitantei," Kaito airily said. "I'll be upstairs when you do."

Shinichi frowned, listening to his footsteps as he walked down the hall, and then up the stairs, but he didn't turn and follow him. Instead, he fell into a detective mindset – something so easy and simple, like breathing – because he needed to fix this, and fix it fast. Obviously, he's really upset Kaito – _genuinely_ – and that didn't happen often. He pouts, or whines, or sulks, or complains at the drop of a hat, but it's never _serious_.

This? This was serious. _Personal_.

"What did I forget...?" Shinichi wondered aloud, narrowing his eyes with intense thought.

It takes him a while. He's ashamed to admit it, but it's true.

It took twenty minutes for the realization to punch him in the gut with vicious guilt. It took him one minute to run out into the hall, reach the broom closet to grab a brightly colored present (cleverly hidden under a **fish**-themed bucket), and then promptly race up the stairs. He hesitated in front of the bedroom door, feeling very small – like scum, really, but he gathered his courage, and quietly opened the door.

Kaito looked up from his study of the floor at his entrance.

Something in Shinichi's stomach twisted at the sight, because it's obvious that Kaito had been sitting patiently at the foot of the bed. It twisted oddly between a warm, butterfly flutter – _he loves the fact that Kaito has such faith in his detective abilities, even when he's being a __**complete idiot**_ – and a lurch of guilt, because, really, he didn't deserve that sort of unconditional faith.

Not after he forgot (_how could he forget? How, how, how?_). Not after he obviously hurt him with his unintended disregard.

_Because...because..._

Indigo eyes stared at him without any expression, watching as he nervously shuffled over to the bed – to him. Shinichi's body language was distinctly sheepish as he wordlessly presented the cheerful looking package to the eerily silent form on the bed. Kaito glanced at the present, but he didn't immediately take it. Instead, he looked back up at Shinichi, watching. Waiting.

Shinichi swallowed. "Um...happy birthday, Kaito," He whispered, grinning weakly.

Kaito tore his gaze away from Shinichi's, and he considered the present. It was an average sized box, with a rainbow themed gift wrapping. It was fun and cheerful, and naturally intriguing, because it was a _box_ (what's in it?), and after a moment, Kaito gently took the gift-wrapped box from Shinichi's hands. He quietly put it aside on the floor next to his left foot, and then he smiled at Shinichi, reaching out to pull the nervous detective into a hug.

Instantly relieved, Shinichi hugged him back, nearly hunching over Kaito's head as the thief nuzzled his stomach.

"Thank you," Kaito said simply, but with a quiet smile that was only heard, not seen. All he really wanted was a 'happy birthday' – he was sure that the present would be nice, since Shinichi tended to get really thoughtful gifts, but what he really wanted was just an acknowledgment from Shinichi. Anything else would just be a bonus.

Shinichi held him tighter. "...you're welcome. And I'm sorry – "

Kaito laughed, the sound slightly muffled due to the hug. "I forgive you. You didn't mean to forget. You were busy."

"That doesn't make it any better," Shinichi frowned.

_Because to Shinichi, it was okay to forget his own birthday. He's never cared enough to remember it. _

_It **wasn't** okay to forget Kaito's birthday, however._

_Not in his books._

* * *

Unseen by mortal eyes, Lady Luck smacked a repentant Death, who sulked.

How was _he_ supposed to know that it was a 'Murder Free Day' today?


	22. Domestic Violence

"Whee~!" Kaito slid across the wood floor in the hall with his socks.

Again.

It was warm and comfortable in the house, a lazy Saturday at noon time. So, Kaito was merely dressed in a simple white, sleeveless shirt, his purple boxers with gold stars on them, and mix matched socks – one was a white sock, and the other was a blue and green polka dotted sock.

Shinichi sighed, sinking into his chair with a fondly exasperated look, watching Kaito pass by the doorway again.

"Whee!" Kaito squeaked, having gone a little _too_ fast, but not caring in the least.

A second after he left Shinichi's sight, the detective had an evil idea.

With a chuckle, he ripped out a page from his casework notebook, and crumpled it up into a ball. He smoothly stood up (leaving the notebook behind) and he took two steps forward, and prepared to take aim. He waited patiently with a big, wide grin and a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

Sure enough, Kaito slid back past the doorway, and Shinichi swiftly threw the paper ball at Kaito's head.

"Whee – !" The paper ball interrupted his delighted cheer, and he was startled into tripping and stumbling into the floor with an ungraceful thud. "Ow! What was _that?"_

Shinichi laughed.

"Entertainment," He said cheekily, grinning at Kaito's glowering glare.

"I call it domestic violence!" Kaito pouted, standing up and fidgeting with his shirt, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles.

"Pifft. That was _not_ domestic violence."

"In the Wonderful Book of Kaito it counts as such!"

"...the _'Wonderful – ?' _No, never mind, I don't want to know." Shinichi paused. He added, "But you're still ridiculous."

Kaito picked up the paper ball and threw it at him in mock-offense.


	23. Confession

Conan didn't know how he ended up in this situation – one moment, he was having the time of his life, giving Kid hell and not making things easy for him. The next, he was knocked out, only to wake up in a room with an unconscious Kaitou Kid...

An unconscious Kaitou Kid.

Who was propped up against the wall.

Tied up in rope and extra wires and duck tape, with a bomb strapped to his chest.

Conan might've let out a horrified squeak.

**00:00:57**

_Because that bomb was going to go off in less than a minute_.

He didn't have time to puzzle out what the hell was going on, or why Kid had a bomb on him, or why whoever did this didn't take off Kid's meager (but effective) disguise of a top hat and a monocle, or why they left Conan in the room with the thief, or why he had a small goose egg on the back of his head.

He didn't have _time_ for those questions when he had less than a minute to disarm a bomb!

Conan ran over to Kid, climbing into the man's lap. He didn't give Kid's face a single glance, not even mildly tempted with such a dangerous threat in the room. With great care, but with even greater haste, the pseudo child ripped into the bomb's guts.

The detective quickly analyzed the various wires, his heart pounding with panicked adrenaline, his whole being focused solely on the bomb, even though a tiny part of him was aware of the oblivious breathing the thief, because Kid's chest moved peacefully in his forced slumber.

After a few precious seconds, he narrowed it down to a green wire and a yellow wire, so different from the classic red and blue.

_And he had no idea which one to cut_.

"Damn it!" Conan cursed, already pulling out his (very carefully) hidden pocket knife from a secret pocket in his shorts. Hidden, because Ran would protest to Conan-kun having a sharp, pointy object in his possession, never mind that it would be useful for him.

With a flick, he snapped the blade out, and he gazed sharply at the two wires, a trickle of sweat running down his forehead – _stress_.

Kid mumbled quietly, his head tilting down, making his messy bangs cover his eyes.

He seemed to be stirring, still unaware of the danger that was strapped to his chest – _a very clear and bold threat against the thief_, Conan thought briefly.

He glanced at the timer.

**00:00:10**

Conan hissed out an anxious breath, before decisively placing the sharp edge of the knife under the yellow wire, preparing to cut it in a quick motion.

The detective hesitated.

"If this doesn't work, and this kills us and who knows how many others in this building," Conan murmured to the thief, _barely_ glimpsing at indigo eyes as dark lashes fluttered weakly. "Then you should know that I've always respected and admired you, Kaitou Kid-san. You were one of the few lights in my life."

With a grim set to his face, he cut the yellow wire with a snap of his knife.

**00:00:01**

For a breathless moment, the world seemed to freeze in Conan's viewpoint of reality. Then, he exhaled heavily, laughing almost hysterically with relief.

_They didn't die_.

"Mm..." Kid mumbled, furrowing his brows. He sluggishly opened his eyes – obviously, they drugged Kid pretty good, whoever 'they' were. Kid blinked fuzzily at him, "T-Tantei-kun?"

Conan sobered, cutting off his giggles. He winced, suddenly and acutely aware of the throbbing pain in the back of his skull.

Almost wistfully, he wished that he had been drugged also – just, _ouch_. What kind of person smacks the crap out of a little kid, anyway?

...and leaves them with a bomb.

_Hm_.

He ignored that for the moment.

"Hey, Kid," Conan smirked wearily, "Congratulations, you were the damsel in the distress for almost a full minute there."

"What?" Kid let out a tiny moan, confused. He shifted slightly, and Conan moved with him, since he was still in his lap. "A-and why am I t-tied up?"

Conan sighed, weary. "Never mind that. I'll cut you loose. But, Kid?"

"Ngh. What?"

"You owe me one."

* * *

Later, once the whole drama was done and over with, Kaito retreated into his room after letting his mother fuss over him. With a dizzy sigh, Kaito collapsed onto his bed, cuddling one of his pillows for comfort, since the drug wasn't fully out of his system yet – it was disorientating.

It turned out that the owners of the heist jewel were very anti-Kid, and Conan viciously got them jail time for attempted murder, endangerment of minors, and for the illegal use of explosives that would've thoughtlessly killed more than a hundred people. The detective hadn't been very amused with the whiny, self-absorbed rich couple, who cared more for their shiny objects than for human lives.

After they ambushed Kid and knocked Conan out, knowing that the little detective would've protested their actions against the thief, they activated the bomb. Then, they had calmly sauntered out of their mansion with their precious jewel, without a shred of guilt or care.

And without their twin daughters.

They hadn't even cared about their own _kids_.

Kaito tiredly chuckled, remembering the cold look of fury in Conan's eyes when he realized that.

It wasn't very funny. It was scary, actually.

He'd been just as aghast and angered as the little detective, because it was one thing to endanger _his_ life, but it was something else entirely when you involved _innocents_. They hadn't cared about their own children, never mind their own guests (the couple's supposed _friends_, even), the Task Force, their cleaning staff and cooks...so, so many people.

They hadn't even cared.

That...was frightening on levels that Kaito couldn't really comprehend.

Kaito was a bit disappointed. He'd been too out of it to be of any real help to the detective with the case. Conan had it all under control, though, even while nursing a concerning goose egg on the back of his head.

So, Kaitou Kid had meekly stood back and tried very hard not to stumble ungracefully, stammer _too_ much, or run into a wall.

He almost did. Twice.

Goddamn drugs.

Kaito huffed sullenly, closing his eyes. He was too exhausted to change into his pajamas. It wasn't like this was the first time that he's crashed into bed in his Kid uniform, anyway.

As he drifted off to sleep, a foggy memory flickered behind his eyelids – something that he hadn't remembered at first.

"_If this doesn't work, and this kills us and who knows how many others in this building," A small voice that was so serious, so weary and full of a grim stillness. "Then you should know that I've always respected and admired you, Kaitou Kid-san. You were one of the few lights in my life."_

With a startled gasp, Kaito's eyes popped open in shock.

What?


	24. Whisper

"Show me love, show me love~!" Kaito sung with a smile, spinning in the snow with a laugh. "Show me love, show me love, until I'm screaming for more!"

"Okay." Shinichi nodded.

Kaito blinked, turning to face him with a confused look. "Wha – _ack!_ Shinichi!" Kaito yelped as he was tackled into the snow by a grinning detective. Kaito shivered, feeling the cold seep into his back, butt, and upper thighs, his legs bent clumsily in an attempt to sit up, his elbows digging into the snow underneath him. "Shinichi, this is _cold!"_

"Allow me to warm you, then," Shinichi playfully purred, kissing him as he pressed down on Kaito's shoulders, pinning him down as he nestled his lower body between Kaito's legs. Kaito shuddered from the cold snow and the sudden hot sensations, closing his eyes with a muffled sigh that sounded both annoyed and blissful.

The snow continued to fall gently around them.

The snow flakes got caught in Shinichi's hair, and lightly covered the detective's back, and Kaito's head and ears were uncomfortably cold from the snow on the ground, but neither of them cared. Kaito entangled his legs with Shinichi's, his chilled fingers tugging at the detective's hair, and Shinichi's coffee warm tongue probed Kaito's ice cream cold mouth deeply, his icy fingers sneaking under Kaito's jacket and sweater to his skin, making Kaito jump.

The world around them was quiet with an almost ethereal silence, sacred somehow. The ice teeth along the edges of their roof gleamed in the light, and the snow flakes danced and spun around in the chilly wind, falling to the ground and making the snow deeper and deeper with an ancient patience. The quiet was so strong that it seemed like Kaito and Shinichi were the only people in the world, murmuring little words of love to each other in the cold snow.

There was no screaming as the t.A.T.u song suggested, but just a tiny whisper that was granted with an affectionate kiss on the nose.

The snow continued to fall.


End file.
